HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-10-12, Page 1PUBLISHED IN
LUCKNOW, ONTARIO
Wednesday,
October 12, 1994
55g
G.S.T. Included
es r
Paul Kropp (left), an author of young people's books, involved LCPS students Ainsley Colwell,
Erin Eadie and Chad Sellers In some role-playing in an unfinished kidnapping novel. Erin, driving
a standard transmission truck has kidnapped Chad, In the back seat, while Ainsley on her bike
is coming to Chad's rescue. (Pat Livingston photo)
t '
Author makes learningfun
by Pat Livingston
Student interaction is very evident
when author Paul Kropp makes a
presentation on writing.
Kropp, one of. Canada's most
successful writers for young people, .
was a guest at both Brookside and
Lucknow Central public schools last
week. He is author of 36 novels for
children and young students.
Kropp's rapport with young people
is apparent as his humor grabs the
students' attention and holds their
interest.
Talking about the writing process,
Kropp' ekplains .how fiction is "a
combination of reality and
imagination. Every book involves
real people, real life situations and
then you embroider upon it." He
continues on stressing the "need to
access a shower" for the
'ionization' (problem -solving)
process to take place.
Involving students in role-playing
from an unfinished kidnapping
novel turns an educational lesson
into pure enjoyment.
Trustees plan for future of OEC
by Pat Halpin
The principal of the Bruce County
board's Outdoor Education Centre
could be in demand as a guest
speaker after the address he gave to
the Western Region meeting of the
Ontario Public School Boards As-
sociation held recently at the BNPD
Information Centre.
"There were maybe a few tears in
people's eyes because of what he
said about environmental education
and the students he's taught," said
trustee David Inglis of Peter Mid-
dleton's speech to the .delegates.
"I'm sure Peter will be in demand
as a future speaker."
The Outdoor Education Centre
(OEC) itself, located between Wiar-
ton and Oliphant, got some atten-
tion from trustees at their October
meeting. The OEC hasn't had any
money spent .on its facilities in
several years, though in June the
board set up a charitable fund for
tax creditable donations to the OEC,
"It'stime now we must plan for
the future of this facility," said
trustee Ray Fenton as he proposed
setting up a special reserve fund to
finance eventual replacement of the
20 year old second hand portables
that are serving as classrooms and
dormitories.
Fenton alluded to an ambitious
plan to replace the buildings, while
saving the Mason family house and
bam on the :site. He hesitated to
estimate how much the project will
cost, but said an earlier "deluxe"
version carried a price tag of $2.5
million.
All of that money will have, to
come from donations and
fundraising, because the OEC is not
eligible for provincial grants.
Fenton said a brainstorming session
Octob r 25 will look at ways •to
raise The money. He predicted cor-
porations and the educational com-
munity will be among donors to the
project.
"We're looking at it as a facility
with. students from every elemen-
tary school in the county," Fenton
said, explaining that the OEC is
used by all of the county's elemen-
tary and some of its secondary
students.
Budget cuts have already trimmed
so-called 'off site' programs offered
by the OEC. They included trips to
nearby, conservation natural areas
like Spirit Rock. Fenton blamed
bussing costs for the cuts, but as-
sured trustees that regular on-site
programming has not been reduced.
"We should be starting
' somewhere," said trustee Don Ted-
ford as trustees approved the
reserve fund for the OEC."
The four junior kindergarten pilot
• projects by the Bruce County Board
of Education are only one month
old, but one trustee says the board
has to start thinking now about
county wide implementation of the
program.
Jennifer .Yenssen, chair of the
educational issues committee, said
early reports indicate that teachers
are handling the pilot projects with
no major problems, but the board
hasn't yet decided on expanding the
program.
"We haven't actually sat down
and looked at where we want to go
with it in September 1995,"
Yenssen .said. •
The Bruce Board has been al-
located $2.4 million to put junior
kindergarten in all its elementary
schools, and the'province has made
that money available as soon as
next year. The board originally
•See Looking, page 20
Still waiting to hear
about arena funding
by Pat Livingston
Phase II of the arena complex
remains on hold until word is
received on funding from job-
sOntario.
Barry Johnston, chairman of
the complex committee, says the
application for jobsOntario fun-
ding was revised in July. The'
application has been passed on
to a regional level and then has
to go to Toronto for "final ap-
proval", says Johnston.
"They haven't said no," says
Johnston who remains fairly
optimistic. "Until funding is
known there is no use in
proceeding. We should have an
answer in November."
Board of ed puts kids
on top of priority list
Kids come first according to a
newly -revised set of goals and
priorities adopted by the Bruce
county board of education. Trustee
Frank Eagleson 'said the new goals
are in laymen's terms and put in a
way that _shows themes in the
board's priorities.
Besides putting students first, the
four -point goals statement moves
communication up to second place
from third. It says. educational.
change will be accepted 'and
implemented • as' far as financial,
human and physical resources al-
low. And it says the . board will
have to become innovative
resource managers because of
shrinking provincial grants. That
wilt mean more co-operation with
communities, . other levels, of
government and support groups.
Trustees applauded this year's
version of the board's goals and
priorities.•
"If I'm not back, I will be pleased
to leave the. board with this," said
trustee Gord Thompson, praising
the move to put financial matters in
fourth place and students at the top
of the list.
The board's mission statement got
an amendment when trustee David
Inglis suggested adding the word
"values" to the list of attributes the
system intends ao impart to its
students. Others on the list are
knowledge, skills and attitudes to
become fulfilledcitizens with a
longing for self -development.
Bruce MPP Murray Elston's
resignation from political life won't •
go unnoticed by the Bruce Board of
Education.
Trustee Frank Eagleson suggested
the board send Elston a note of
"regret and support" •in his decision
to leave public life for a post in the
private sector.
"We can all live' with Murray's
decision and respect it, but we have
to remember what he's done for
•See Not, page.20
A hungry Melissa Collins, a Grade .3 student at St. Joseph's
School, Kingsbrldge, digs into her turkey and subsequently
pronounces It "mmm, mmm good!" Melissa and her fellow
students and teachers were treated to a full course
Thanksgiving dinner last Friday, lovingly prepared by parent
volunteers. (Pat Livingston photo) •